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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25602775">The Monster Generation: Defenders of the Court</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/paracyane/pseuds/paracyane'>paracyane</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Interview, inspired by the second special group interview</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 06:40:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,362</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25602775</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/paracyane/pseuds/paracyane</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In this exclusive interview, we spoke to two members of the Japanese Men’s National Volleyball Team, who are both part of the famous Monster Generation. Our theme being “defense”, we invited the liberos, Komori Motoya-senshu and Yaku Morisuke-senshu. Let’s get to know them here! (Interviewed by: Yamamoto Akane)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Komori Motoya &amp; Yaku Morisuke</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>70</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Monster Generation: Defenders of the Court</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>happy birthday komori!!!!!!!!!!! i would risk it all for you</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>Thank you for joining us today.</b><br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku &amp; Komori</em></span> Thank you for having us.</p><p><b>This is the first interview I have done without Enaga-san, so I hope you two will go easy on me.</b><br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> Don’t be nervous!<br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> I think Motoya— I mean, Komori-senshu and I are the best people to come to for a first interview. Please take good care of us.</p><p><b>The Tokyo Olympics are very soon. Is there anything in particular that is on your mind right now?</b><br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> I haven’t had lunch yet, so I am a bit hungry… (laughs) But in all seriousness, I think a lot about what I can do in this last month so I will not have regrets when the time comes.<br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> I agree. I think both Komori-senshu and I are diligent and hard working, so neither of our daily routines have changed very much.</p><p><b>Is Yaku-senshu normally so formal when speaking to Komori-senshu?</b><br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> He isn’t! Not at all! I think Yaku-san is the one who is nervous for this interview. He usually calls me by my name.<br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> It’s normal to be formal in interviews! ...Isn’t it?</p><p><b>Komori-senshu is a libero of Eastern Japan Paper Mills Raijin, which ranked third in the V.League Division 1 this past season. How do you feel about your performance and the team overall?</b><br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> We have been steadily rising through the ranks over the past few years. I think our team is best at coming up with unique strategies to defeat each team. Our members are strong, so I believe it is a matter of combining and multiplying our strengths together to achieve higher rankings and increase our number of wins. I have high hopes for the coming season. Please look forward to it!</p><p><b>Yaku-senshu has been in Russia playing in the Superleague for the past few seasons. Can you share with us what that is like?</b><br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> Every day is a challenge, but it is the best challenge I could ask for.</p><p><b>What is the biggest challenge you’ve come across in Russia’s Superleague so far?</b><br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> I think for me it is the language barrier off the court. On the court I find it easier to communicate through plays and other actions, but off the court, interactions require words. I’ve learned a lot about both myself and volleyball.</p><p><b>Didn’t Yaku-senshu play volleyball in high school with a half-Russian, half-Japanese teammate?</b><br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> I did, but he doesn’t speak any Russian, so he was useless to me in that aspect.</p><p><b>Yaku-senshu attended Nekoma High School, and Komori-senshu attended Itachiyama Academy, correct?</b><br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> Yes! It feels like so long ago now.<br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> I remember during my third year at the Summer InterHigh Tokyo Preliminaries, my school faced Motoya’s school.<br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> I remember that too! I was a second year then. Yaku-san had many great digs that game.<br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> That’s very flattering, but we still lost to your team.</p><p><b>Does the winner, Komori-senshu, have something he would like to say to the loser, Yaku-senshu?</b><br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> I don’t like this question.<br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> (laughs) Yaku-san, you only lost to the strongest team in the nation that summer! Don’t mind!<br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> Please ask the next question.</p><p><b>How do you feel about the lineup of the team that will attend the Tokyo Olympics?</b><br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> It is a mixture of familiar and new faces. I am excited and honored that I was chosen again to represent Japan.<br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> Everyone is very talented and earnest. I am also honored to be chosen again. For this new lineup, there are a few players who I have never shared the court with. I hope I will be able to soon.</p><p><b>Who is the player you are closest to on the current national team?</b><br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> Because he is my longtime friend and was my teammate for many years as well as my cousin, I will pick Sakusa. We are still close even though we are mostly rivals now.<br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> I was going to pick Motoya, but I will change my answer now.<br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> I take it back! I am closest to Yaku-san!</p><p><b>Won’t Sakusa-senshu’s feelings be hurt when he reads this?</b><br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> I think we are close enough that he will understand.<br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> It doesn’t matter, because it’s too late now.<br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> I thought Yaku-san would pick Bokuto-san, as they participated in many training camps during high school together, and they were teammates on the U19 team as well.<br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> I thought about him but decided on you instead, and you betrayed me.<br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> I’m sorry Yaku-san! Please forgive me!</p><p><b>Yaku-senshu seems like he is an intimidating person on the court. Does Komori-senshu think he is intimidating off the court as well?</b><br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> He is very nice to me, but that is because he likes me the most. I think some members of the team are a bit scared of him at times.<br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> Certain players who used to be my kouhai are now my equals on the court. However, I think some of them need to be disciplined every once in a while. I think I am a fair and kind type of person.</p><p><b>Yaku-senshu is kind?</b><br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> Please take that question back. I won’t go easy on you just because we have known each other for a long time.<br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> Yamamoto-san is amazing. I am impressed.</p><p><b>Going back to the national team, who is your favorite teammate?</b><br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> Are we picking just one?<br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> I will pick Yaku-san!<br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> My favorite teammate is Ojiro-senshu. Our personalities are a great match, and I enjoy being around him both on and off the court.</p><p><b>Does Yaku-senshu still think he is kind?</b><br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> I feel betrayed.<br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> Now you know how I felt.</p><p><b>Yaku-senshu and Komori-senshu seem like they are on very good terms.</b><br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> What part of this interview made you think that?<br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> We are very close actually! We are getting lunch together after this. Yaku-san said that it would be his treat.<br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> I said no such thing.<br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> He did! Even if he says he won’t, he usually treats me when we go out together. I think he secretly likes spoiling his juniors.<br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> Didn’t I just say that you are my equal?</p><p><b>Who is Komori-senshu to Yaku-senshu?</b><br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> For now, he is my beloved teammate. I feel that I learn a lot by watching him on the court. I feel a sense of reliability and stability when he is playing, which I admire.<br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> Thank you!</p><p><b>Then, who is Yaku-senshu to Komori-senshu?</b><br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> A player I have admired for a long time! It is exciting for me to watch Yaku-san play. I think while we play the same position, we have two different styles. I think I still have a lot to learn from Yaku-san. Because he does not play professionally in Japan anymore, I treasure the time we are able to spend training together.<br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> I hope we can continue learning from each other as long as possible.</p><p><b>This is very heartwarming to hear.</b><br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> I will admit that I am closest to Motoya.<br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> I’m so happy now!</p><p><b>Because the two of you will not share the court, who is your favorite teammate to share the court with?</b><br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> This is a difficult question… everyone on the current team has their own strengths and skills. I will pick two of our middle blockers, Hakuba-senshu and Hyakuzawa-senshu, because the teamwork between the middle blockers and libero is very important. They are conscientious of the receivers when they block, which I appreciate. It makes my job much easier.<br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> Then, I will pick two of our setters, Kageyama and Miya! They each have their own style and where they prefer the ball to be returned to is slightly different. I always try to keep that in mind when receiving. I hope that whenever we play together, they have faith in me to perform good receives.</p><p><b>The theme for this interview is “defense”. Other than yourselves, who do you think has the strongest receives?</b><br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> Everyone on the team is well-rounded. However, if I had to pick one player, I would pick Sakusa-senshu. I heard from Motoya that the two of them would practice lots of serve-receives during their school years.<br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> I think Sakusa and Hinata both have great receives. Hoshiumi as well. But as Yaku-san said, everyone’s fundamentals are very solid. Our setters are also talented receivers, even if they don’t often partake in the first touch.</p><p><b>Yaku-senshu mentioned the middle blockers Hakuba-senshu and Hyakuzawa-senshu earlier. How do they contribute to defense?</b><br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> I think Hakuba-senshu is more focused on defense than Hyakuzawa-senshu who leans towards offense. Their activity as middle blockers can change how a libero plays dramatically. They are both confident in Motoya’s and my digs, so they put an effort into jumping blocks that will not interfere with our receiving.<br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> They are both skilled middle blockers who I think bring a lot of despair to our opponents. However! Even if Hakuba and Hyakuzawa cannot stop a spike with a kill-block, they are often able to perform a soft-block or narrow the course of the spike. Both of these make the back row’s job of receiving much more doable. We are all very connected on the court.</p><p><b>Would you say that the team is connected off the court too?</b><br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> I think we are. We often do many fun things together as a team to build a sense of trust with each other. Like yakiniku or karaoke.<br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> For players who are abroad for most of the year including myself, we tend to want to eat lots of Japanese style food once we are back.</p><p><b>The team has gone to karaoke together? Who is the best?</b><br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> I’m not sure who the best is, but silent types like Kageyama and Ushijima-san are surprisingly very proactive when it comes to karaoke. They were somewhat unwilling at first but in the end performed a very memorable duet together.<br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> Ojiro-senshu and Miya-senshu have also performed a duet. I will never forget it.<br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> Sakusa and I are planning for a duet the next time we go to karaoke!<br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> Does he know about it?<br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> He will find out soon.</p><p><b>Could you share with us any pre-game traditions or routines you have?</b><br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> I take my shoes off once before putting them back on. Then I touch my hands to the bottoms of the shoes to make sure they are okay.<br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> I don’t have anything in particular, but before the game starts, I make sure to take a deep breath to help myself focus.<br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> Our trainer, Iwaizumi-san, taught us each different stretches that target the parts of our bodies that tend to be stiff. I do those too.<br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> I do them as well. It is something new that I have been trying and I think I may continue doing it.</p><p><b>Are there promises that the team has made together?</b><br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> Nothing specific, but I think that would be a good idea before the Olympics. I will bring it up with our coach and teammates soon.<br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> I think we should choose our roommates for the Olympic Village beforehand, so that there are no surprises.<br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> (laughs) Motoya is a very light sleeper, so he likes to room with someone who has about the same sleep schedule as him.</p><p><b>Is there anything you would like to say to our readers, or to young volleyball players? </b><br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> Thank you for reading this interview! For me, it still sometimes feels like a dream to play on such big stages in front of even bigger crowds. I feel very lucky to have had the opportunities that shaped me into who I am now. To young volleyball players, when you are feeling discouraged, please remember that even if the days are long, the years are short. It goes by faster than you think. So enjoy every day and do things that you will not regret in the years to come, because they will come very soon.<br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> Aren’t you 25?<br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> I’m turning 26 this year! And Yaku-san isn’t much older!</p><p><b>Would Yaku-senshu like to add anything?</b><br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> Thank you to everyone who supports us, including Yamamoto-san. I will never forget how you led our cheering section during high school.<br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> Wow, really? I didn’t know that.<br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> I think playing volleyball is the greatest gift I ever received. I feel extremely lucky to be where I am now. I will continue to work hard to ensure my place, and to become a libero feared by the opposing team. To any volleyball players who have dreams of reaching a higher stage, I hope you will keep in mind that sometimes, the player who will help you grow the most can be a teammate.<br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> Could Yaku-san possibly be talking about me?<br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> No, I was talking about practicing serve-receives with Miya-senshu and Kageyama-senshu’s serves.</p><p><b>Maybe Komori-senshu will join in on this practice.</b><br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> My jump serve will become the best that even Yaku-san won’t be able to receive it.<br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> Please focus on serve-receives and sets in that time.<br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> I’ll do it all, even if it’s not in official games!</p><p><b>To end, could you share your future ambitions?</b><br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> To stand on the world stage again and again, and to make my country proud to have an athlete like me representing them.<br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> I was going to say an Olympic medal, but Yaku-san’s statement is too cool. Should I change mine?<br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> Of course, I am always aiming for medals, especially the gold medal.<br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> I hope I can keep playing volleyball for a long time, and be an integral part of a team that rises above everyone else to win.</p><p><b>Thank you to both Yaku-senshu and Komori-senshu for joining us today!</b><br/><span class="u"><em>Komori</em></span> I hope this was a good first solo interview experience! Thank you for interviewing us.<br/><span class="u"><em>Yaku</em></span> Thank you very much.</p><p>
  <em>Yamamoto Akane is a journalism student currently in her fourth and final year of university. She will become active as a full-time sports journalist following graduation. Follow her coverage of the upcoming Tokyo Olympics on Twitter @yamamoto_akane.</em>
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